


Heartbeat

by Corollaire



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/F, Femslash Friday, Galadriel topping the hell out of Lúthien, accidental bathtub sex, some sort of power/control dynamic somewhere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-15
Updated: 2013-06-15
Packaged: 2017-12-15 00:52:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/843396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corollaire/pseuds/Corollaire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lúthien joins Galadriel in the bathtub. I'm sure you can guess what follows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartbeat

The tile floor was cool on Galadriel's bare feet as she slid the door to the bathhouse open and stepped into the steam-filled room, inhaling deeply and tasting the rose-scented air in the back of her throat. The room, paved in white and green tiles, had a gold rimmed bathtub sunk into the floor, already filled with hot water. This was Melian's room, adjacent to her quarters, but she allowed those under her tutelage into it whenever they wished to relax in relative peace and quiet, away from the more rowdy areas of Thingol's halls. And Galadriel was quite ready for some peace, after a rather long day.

She stepped out of her robe, letting the golden cloth fall to the floor in a soft whisper of silk against skin. The water lapped at her fingers as she knelt at the edge, then swung her legs over into the warmth, sucking in a breath as the hot water touched her skin, then relaxing as she grew accustomed to it. She slipped in, letting the water close over her head, floating in utter bliss for several long seconds before surfacing, hair slicked back against her head.

"You look like you're having fun."

A smile curved Galadriel's lips. "I was wondering when you'd turn up," she replied without turning around. If a sudden rush of blood suffused her cheeks at the sound of that voice, she could pretend it was the heat of the water, the steam and the scented air, not... something else.

"Mother said you were in here. I thought you could use some company." There was a laugh in Lúthien's voice, and Galadriel could imagine rather clearly the teasing smile that was doubtless on those perfectly formed lips right now. She could see a pair of bare feet out of the corner of her eye, and wondered whether the rest of the princess of Doriath was just as... bare.

"And did she tell you that I was trying to relax, hm?" She turned, splashing water onto the floor, and saw that Lúthien was indeed wearing nothing but her dark hair, hair that was darker than night and yet seemed to catch starlight in its depths. Her eyes traveled up, past pale legs and pink-tipped breasts, to meet eyes of palest grey - not Noldor grey, tinged with shadow and blood, but the clear grey of a twilight sky.

"Perhaps I wanted to relax with you," Lúthien said lightly, the delicate arch of her eyebrow suggesting that she had nothing of the sort in mind. "May I join?"

Galadriel moved away from the edge of the bathtub, movements slowed by the water. "Come on in."

Lúthien did not slid gingerly in, nor did she step in with the grace befitting a princess. With a laughing toss of her head, she jumped in, curling her knees to her chest and sending a wave spilling over the rim of the tub and across the floor. Galadriel sputtered out a laugh, hands shielding her face, and blinked the water from her eyes.

"Was that necessary?"

"Oh, absolutely." Lúthien moved closer, flicking water at Galadriel with one long finger.

"You know, I was just starting to really relax when you jumped in." She crossed her arms, trying to sound annoyed.

"Are you truly so tired that you cannot bear even my company?" She was suddenly only inches away, and Galadriel could have sworn she felt the temperature the the room rise.

"I, ah-" Whatever else she might have said was lost as Lúthien's mouth met hers, tasting of sweet summer wine. She reached up and wound a hand through that rich black hair, pulling Lúthien in hungrily.

Lúthien's legs brushed hers as she pulled back, still smirking. "Here. Pass me the soap. I'll help you get cleaned up, if that is what you truly desire."

Galadriel complied readily, handing the slippery bar over. Lúthien's hands were soon tangled in her hair, massaging her scalp, sending little waves of pleasure through her. Galadriel closed her eyes and leaned back, enjoying the soothing motion, aware of the way Lúthien's legs were slowly twineing with hers, pulling her closer. She rested her head against her chest, hearing Lúthien's heartbeat against her ear.

At some point she must have drifted off, because she woke to Lúthien's exasperated voice in her ear. "You fell asleep."

Galadriel flicked a drop of water at her without opening her eyes and was rewarded with a squeal. "It's hardly my fault you've got such a soothing touch."

"The water's going to get cold if we stay in here much longer."

"Will it? Maybe we ought to get out, then." Galadriel opened her eyes, but didn't move. Lúthien's face was inches from her own, eyes star-bright and laughing, and there was nothing in the world she would rather do than stay right here in these arms, in this warmth.

"Or maybe..." Lúthien's hands crept down her back, below the water, and Galadriel suppressed a shiver. "Maybe we could find a way to keep warm."

"And how would we do that, hm?" she asked, knowing very well what the other elf meant. Soft heat coiled inside her as Lúthien's hands dipped lower, sliding between Galadriel's legs.

"Oh, I don't doubt that we'd find a way." And Lúthien's mouth descended on hers, and for a few moments there was nothing but the soft splash of water as she was pushed back, trapped between Lúthien and the edge of the bath, with Lúthien's thigh pressing between her legs, her hands on her hips, pulling her against that smooth limb. Galadriel's hips jerked forward almost involuntarily (not that she intended to show much restraint at this point), and when Lúthien withdrew, she couldn't stop the low whine that escaped her.

Almost immediately, she blushed, shame spreading prickly heat across her skin, mingling with the arousal that was all too apparent as Lúthien's laughing eyes met hers, chin tilted proudly and a regal, confident smile curving her lips, and Galadriel felt a flash of something she couldn't quite put a name to.

"Do you hunger for my touch that much?" the princess of Doriath asked, running her hands up Galadriel's side, cupping the soft swell of her breasts, teasing her right nipple with her thumb and forefinger. It took all of Galadriel's control to stand still, frozen, and not arch into that touch. Lúthien's face was full of cool curiosity and under that, delight in the control she had over the other, the reactions she could provoke with the slightest brush of her fingers.

Galadriel caught Lúthien's wandering hand in her own, the movement punctuated by the soft splash of water.  _You are not the one in control here, Lúthien. Or did you forget? I am princess in my own right, born to rule just as surely as you._ But she did not say it - not yet. One of Melian's teachings surfaced in her mind as she leaned forward, inhaling the sharp-sweet scent of nimphredil that seemed to cling to the daughter of Thingol no matter where she was:  _Better to show than to tell, if teaching is your goal. Some things are best demonstrated, after all._

So instead of responding with quick, witty words as Lúthien would have done (not the least because Galadriel could never match her in a contest of words - perhaps it came of growing up in the court of a ruling king rather than the thrid son of one, but Lúthien knew more of half-truths and veiled insults that Galadriel felt she ever would), she set her hands on Lúthien's pale shoulders as though to draw her in for a kiss - and then shoved her backwards, against the stone wall of the tub.

Her body stiffened with shock under Galadriel's fingers, grey eyes widening only slightly before she forced another smile onto her face. "So you are not so tame after all? A pleasant - ah - surprise-" She broke off, shuddering, as Galadriel's hand slid over the tight muscle of her stomach and tangled in the thick curls between her legs.

Lúthien brought her arm up as though to push her away, and Galadriel pressed forward, trapping her arm between them as she kissed her, slipping her tongue between half-parted lips and drawing a languid line across Lúthien's as her fingers crept lower, teasing at the nub there, pressing. She felt Lúthien hiss against her mouth, arching against her. Their bodies met in a splash of water, Lúthien's dark hair swirling on the surface of the bath and mingling with the fallen gold of Galadriel's as they pressed closer, heat intensifying with every brush of skin on skin.

Galadriel's hand was moving faster now, thumb circling and fingers thrusting into Lúthien, and the noises the latter made were far from regal - whimpering and pleading, the quick inhale through clenched teeth when Galadriel added a third finger, the muffled cry of "Eru!" as she was driven back against the tub sides with the force of Galadriel's movement. Galadriel could feel the build-up of heat in her own loins at the frantic movement of the body against hers, slick with water.

But there was still something in Lúthien's eyes as she bucked against Galadriel's touch - something sparkling in those star-bright depths that made Galadriel wonder if this wasn't, maybe, exactly what Lúthien wanted - if she hadn't been manipulated into going along with Lúthien's plan just like she always was, and if she wasn't being laughed at right now from behind those infuriatingly clear eyes.

_Not this time._

She felt Lúthien clench about her fingers, about to climax, saw the sudden flash of helpless need in her eyes - and stopped.

Lúthien's body was taut, quivering on the edge of release, pressed so closely against Galadriel that she could feel her heartbeat against her skin, like the frantic beating wings of a caged bird. Her eyes flew open, pupils dilated and a desperate request that was not quite a request flashing there - because if she voiced that plea aloud, if she gave that control up, she would have lost the game she thought she had been playing alone until Galadriel showed her otherwise.

Galadriel's face was millimeters from Lúthien's, close enough for it to have been a kiss had she not straightened up fully and ceased dipping her neck so her lips were level with Lúthien's, taking full advantage of her greater height. Her mouth brushed Lúthien's nose as she whispered, "Say please."

Lúthien's mouth twisted in a silent snarl as she bucked against Galadriel, trying to  _take_  the fulfillment she wanted - needed - but Galadriel's hand was locked around her wrists, pressing them back, and her knees pinned Lúthien's legs to the wall, giving her nothing but cooling water to arch into. She could feel the pulse between her own legs as Lúthien twisted in vain, lips half-parted and cheeks flushed, eyes wild with unfulfilled arousal.

She let one finger trail through the thick hair between Lúthiens legs, not quite touching where Lúthien wanted her to, and a sound that was part cry and part groan escaped Lúthien's lips as she strained towards Galadriel's hand.

"Say  _please_ ," Galadriel hissed again, every nerve in her body alight and singing, her entire world narrowed to the feel of the water swirling about her and the slickness of Lúthien's skin as she struggled, and the deafening pounding rush of her heart in her ears. Her eyes tracked down Lúthien's face, past the molten eyes and the two spots of red high on her cheeks to where her tongue darted out over her parted lips. She saw the movement in Lúthien's pale throat as she swallowed, then heard the exhalation, desperate and hoarse, that formed a word.

"Please."

Galadriel thrust her fingers in once, twice, and felt Lúthien spasm around them as she came with a strangled cry. She moved her other hand and pressed it between her own legs, already pushed close enough that it only took a few seconds to bring herself to completion as well. Lúthien shivered against her as she withdrew her fingers, and Galadriel kissed her lazily, letting her feel the smile that spread across her lips.

She pulled away before Lúthien could fully recover and clambered out of the tub, water sluicing from her skin and spattering on the tile floor. She felt Lúthien's eyes on her as she grabbed a nearby towel and tossed it over her shoulders like a cloak, the cloth cool against her skin, which felt like it was radiating pulses of heat with every beat of her racing heart.

It was not until she had crossed the room and had one hand on the handle of the sliding door that Lúthien spoke in a quiet, thoughtful voice.

"You know, I have no duties after supper tonight. If you are so inclined, I can come over and find some way of making up for the way I so rudely interrupted your attempt at a relaxing bath." 

She turned back. There was a pleasant look on her face, and her voice was admirably steady, but Galadriel could see a gleam in those grey eyes that promised something else entirely. She met that gaze and held it until Lúthien's eyes darted away.

"I look forward to that, then," she replied, and left with the distinct feeling that she had won.


End file.
